Mohammedan’s Fed Cup triumph a win for Bangladesh football: Alfaz 

Having beaten arch-rivals and defending champions Abahani 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the pulsating Federation Cup final in Cumilla on Tuesday, Mohammedan Sporting Club head coach Alfaz Ahmed praised his charges for putting up their utmost effort to win the first Federation Cup trophy in 14 years. 

The Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla on Tuesday was buzzing as fans witnessed Mohammedan Sporting Club clinch their first Federation Cup title in 14 years with a 4-2 win on penalties against archrivals Abahani after the pulsating contest ended 4-4 following regulation time and extra-time. 

Alfaz deemed this success a win for the country's football.

The 49-year-old coach put today's Federation Cup final ahead of the matches he played for Mohammedan SC.

"There were exciting matches [between Mohammedan and Abahani]. I once played but I want to put today's match ahead of that. I think it was not the triumph of Mohammedan, rather it was a win for the country's football," Alfaz said. 
Mohammedan captain Souleymane Diabate netted all four goals and substitute goalkeeper Ahsan Habib Bipu denied shots from Abahani skipper Raphael Augusto, and Daniel Colindres as the Black and Whites, despite Shahriar Emon's miss, ensured their first trophy in nine years.

"It was a big match in which Mohammedan were on the back foot before bouncing back to level the margin and then they took the lead which was also given away. We finally won the match in the shootout," an emotional Aflaz Ahmed told the reporters soon after winning the final 

"It was really tough to understand who were going to win the match but our players were very committed to performing with an outstanding performance from Souleymane Diabate [who was later adjudged the man of the final for his four goals as well as top scorer in the tournament]. All credit goes to the players who gave their utmost effort to make Mohammedan champions," he added. 

Alfaz, a former Mohammedan striker himself, took charge as the head coach of the Black and Whites after the mid-term transfers window and displayed astute coaching skill to deliver Mohammedan their first silverware in nine years since winning Independence Cup in 2014.

Alfaz made effective changes in personnel and adjustments to his formation in the second-half after going down 2-0 in the first. He said that bringing on Zafar Iqbal, Alomgir Kabir Rana, and Shahriar Emon doubled with the change in formation had done the trick for his side. 

"After the break, my message was to keep cool and perform. I brought three changes in the second-half and changed the formation that inspired all players and they availed the opportunities. I think the change in players made the difference," he said. 

On the basis of this triumph, Alfaz tipped his side to make further progress in the coming days. 

On the other hand, Alfaz's counterpart Abahani coach Mario Lemos was seemingly upset to lose the match despite taking a 2-0 lead in the first-half.

"I think we could not stop Mohammedan in the first 15 minutes of the second-half as the players were so slow and there was low intensity. We allowed them to catch the momentum and come back into the match. It was a 50-50 game but the game was up and down before the penalties made the difference," said Lemos, who had to complete the season without any trophies.

"We should have gotten a trophy this season and it was my responsibility," he added. 

The Portuguese coach lamented that they did not expect Raphael Augusto and Daniel Colindres to miss in the penalty shootout but gave credit to the Mohammedan goalkeeper. 

"We did not expect misses from them but it may happen, I think we should give the credit to the goalkeeper who stopped them," he said.